Valentine's Day: A love letter to London - the centre of our universe

Throughout my life, I have had very mixed opinions about London.

As a child, I thought it was super cool, I loved the Natural History Museum and the theatres.

As a teenager, I experienced my very first panic attack while on the underground. That wasn’t a pleasant experience.

In my early 20s, I loved the idea of LDN but found it very overwhelming.

But now I’m edging towards 30 and it’s my favourite place to be (other than in bed with a cup of tea, of course.)

I love the bright lights, the restaurants, the museums. The bustle on the streets and seeing red buses and black cabs on every corner (and occasionally pink cabs too!)

I love my little walk past London Bridge on the way into the office and stopping for a coffee.

I can even tolerate the Underground now - as long as I’ve got a seat and a portable fan.

I love the history, the culture, and the links to media. Fleet Street gives me butterflies!

I love the fashion, the shops, and the sound of the city - it’s very noticeably different from cute but calm Cambridge.

There’s just something about the capital, that’s got style.

Our motto here is “London: The centre of your universe”, because... Well, it is.

Of course, you take the good with the bad, and there are parts of London that are less rose-tinted.

Frightening crime rates, extortionate pries, and transport delays are all very real parts of the city too.

And as we move into a new more modern world, there are parts of the capital that undeniably need to catch up. But we are hopeful that with time and attention, it will happen.

What we love most about LDN

Here are some of the London World team’s favourite things about the capital.

London World’s What’s On reporter, Amber Peake said: “My favourite thing about London is that there is always something going on.

“From iconic brand pop-ups to restaurant openings as well as music festivals in the summer and Christmas markets in the winter, there's never a dull day in the city.”

While our video journalist Jack said: “It's the different areas of London that make it such a special city. Shoreditch in East London is completely different to Soho, or Brixton.

“You can pick and choose where you want to spend your day, each place embodying a unique feel to any other.”

My favourite thing about the city is probably its food and drink scene. From epic Insta-worthy street food and old-school pubs to award-winning restaurants, London is a pilgrimage for foodies. I have a list as tall as The Shard of places to try.

I’m also obsessed with the city’s history, I love that every cornerstone has a story to tell. You could spend a lifetime here and still never unpack every secret!

#LoveYourLondon

So today we launch our #LoveYour campaign, a way to celebrate the people, places, events, and businesses that make London so special.

The campaign, launched to coincide with the annual ‘Journalism Matters’ week and in the run-up to the festive season, will be a love letter to our community as we focus on everything from London’s hidden gems to its colourful characters.

Our reporters are out and about experiencing the community first-hand but we also need you to share your top local tips. If you #LoveYour - we want to know what and why.

Get in touch and tell us what you love most about London by emailing [email protected]

You can also submit your own article about something that makes this county special to you in your own words or via video - by submitting to https://www.yourworld.net/submit